Strip material locating device



March 29, 1966 J. E. MORSE ET AL 3,243,244

STRIP MATERIAL LOGATING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 3

JOHN E. MORSE ELMER 0. WA/VGER/IV ROBERT E. COSSABOON INVENTORS wwao A T TOR/VEYS March 29, 1966 MORSE ETA'L 3,243,244

STRIP MATERIAL LOCAI'ING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 27, 1963 JOHN E. MORSE ELMER O. WANGER/N ROBERT E. COSSABOO/V BY 6Q/w/% A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,243,244 STRIP MATERIAL LOCATING DEVICE John E. Morse, Elmer 0. Wangerin, and Robert E. Cossahoon, Rochester, N.Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 326,532 9 Claims. (Cl. 31239) This invention relates to a device for selectively positioning an article. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for positively locating the leading edge of a supply of material in apparatus having a mechanism which feeds the material from said supply, and for disabling the mechanism while said leading edge is being positioned.

Many applications of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description. However, for simplicity of illustration, the invention is described with particular reference to a microfilm readerprinter. In apparatus of this type, a supply of photosensitive print material is moved along a predetermined path from a supply chamber to an exposure chamber and then to a processing station. When loading a new supply of print material into the apparatus, it is advantageous to selectively position the leading edge of the material so that an excessive length of material is not fogged while the interior of the apparatus is exposed to light, but yet which is suflicient to provide an adequate length for the material to be properly fed through the printer. As will become apparent from the following description, if the leading edge of a new supply of material is not correctly positioned the first length of material will be either too short or too long for the apparatus to function properly. For these reasons it is convenient in loading material into the apparatus to position the leading edge at a predetermined location along the path of movement. For example, in the apparatus hereinafter described, the leading edge is located in a precise spaced relation to a feeding mechanism for the supply and to a cutter knife which severs predetermined lengths from the supply.

Because the print material is photosensitive, the cabinet of the reader-printer must be sufficiently light-proof during the printing cycle to prevent the fogging of the material as it is moved through the apparatus. Therefore, an outer access door which is light-tight when closed is usually provided near the supply chamber for the loading of a new supply of print material into the apparatus. The present invention provides a device which facilitates threading the print material into the apparatus and, as one of its novel aspects, comprises a device associated with the outer access door for disabling the feeding mechanism when said door is moved to an opened position, and for simultaneously moving a stop member into the path of the material to provide a locating stop against which the leading edge of the material from the new supply is positioned.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device for positively locating material in a predetermined position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device to facilitate the initial threading of strip material in apparatus having a feeding mechanism for the strip material.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for use in apparatus having means for feeding a strip of material along a predetermined path a device for disabling said feeding means and for locating the leading edge of the strip at a predetermined position along said path, said device being selectively controlled to perform these functions.

3,243,244 Patented Mar. 29, 1966 Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters denote like parts. A

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one form thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view showing the locating device of the present invention incorporated in a microfilm reader printer;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view further illustrating the locating device of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a section view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

In order to better illustrate the present invention, part of the structure and operation of a typical microfilm printer apparatus is briefly described. The operational mechanism of the printer apparatus is enclosed within a lightproof cabinet 11 having an outer cabinet access opening 12 through which a roll 13 of photosensitive print material 14 is placed within the apparatus. The interior of cabinet 11 is made light-proof during the printing cycle by closure member 15 being moved over access opening 12. Roll 13 is positioned on cradle rollers 16 and 17 within a supply chamber 18 which is enclosed by inner cabinet door 19. These cradle rollers allow the roll to rotate freely as material is withdrawn from the supply chamber and fed through the apparatus. The photosensitive material 14 is guided from the supply chamber 18 around guide plate 20 and moves between material feed rollers 21 and 22 at the entrance to the print platen 23 on which the material is exposed. A material cutter 24 is located adjacent to the feed rollers 21 and 22 for severing exposed lengths of the material from the supply so that the exposed segment can be transported to a processing station which is not shown. After passing material cutter 24, the material is supported by print platen 23 and is driven into engagement with processor pick-up roll ers 25 and 26 which feed the material into the processing chambers.

The operational cycle of the printer, including the advance of the print material, is controlled by a program cam which is not shown but which is driven by motor M through a sprocket 27 and chain 28. The feed rollers 21 and 22 and processor pickup rollers 25 and 26 are intermittently driven in timed relation to the several portions of a printing cycle. For example, after a supply of material has been loaded in the apparatus and the print material is being positioned in the printing area so that an exposure can be made, rollers 21 and 22feed the material until the leading edge is picked up by processor rollers 25 and 26. A mirror 121 is mounted on suitable brackets 122 for pivotal movement during the printing cycle to a position indicated by dashed lines 123 where the mirror 121 intercepts a projected image and directs the same to the material to be exposed on the print platen 23. The material is stationary during the printing operation, and is withdrawn from the printing area and directed into the processor only after the exposed length of material is severed by cutter 24. If the paper is severed prior to the leading edge reaching rollers 25 and 26, the severed length can not be withdrawn from the printing station and the material will become entangled in the printing area. Thus the processor rollers 25 and 26 engage and grip the print material, become idle while a print is being made, and are again driven so as to feed the material through the processor until the leading edge of the exposed and severed length has been picked up by a pair of squeegee rollers at the exit from the processor and which continue the feeding movement of the material.

It is important for the repetitive cycling of such programmed apparatus that the leading edge of a new supply 'of material be positively positioned so that the initial length after severing is approximately equal in length to the subsequent lengths. If the length is too short, succeeding pairs of rollers will not-pick up the material before it is released by the preceding rollers and this would result in the material becoming jammed in the apparatus. If the initial length of material is too long, it will extend beyond pickup rollers 25 and 26 and into the processing bath while the material is stationary in the printing area. Prolonged contact with the bath could cause the material to become so limp that it could not satisfactorily feed through the processor and squeegee rollers at the exit from the processor. By placing a locating stop for the leading edge of a new supply of material in proximity to the cutter knife, the initial severed length of print material will be similar in length to the length of material in successive print cycles.

The present invention contemplates a locating device which disables the feeding mechanism while the device is operative, but which device is operative only when outer closure member 15 is moved away from access opening 12. Accordingly, in addition to facilitating the threading of material in the apparatus, the material cannot start feeding before the printer cabinet is again made light-proof by the covering of access opening 12. In the specific embodiment illustrated, a spring operated lever, comprised of a yoke portion 29, an arm 30 and a stop extension 31, is rotatably supported by brackets 32 and 33 and by suitable pivot securing means. As shown, one end of the roller shaft 34 which carries the lower feed roller 21 is journaled in bracket 33, and a pivot shaft 35 eccentric to shaft 34 supports the other end of the lever at bracket 32. The second end of roller shaft 34 is rotatably mounted on the arm 30 which extends from the yoke portion of the lever at the end supported by pivot shaft 35, at one side and out of the material path. As shown in FIG. 1, arm 30 is held by closure member 15 in a position against the bias of spring 36 when said member 15 is in a closed position, said spring 36 being secured at one end to a support bracket 37 and at the opposite end to the roller shaft 34. When closure member 15 is moved away from the access opening 12, arm 30 is released by said closure member. This allows the lever to eccentrically rotate about pivot shaft 35 in bracket 32 and roller shaft 34 in bracket 33 under the pull of spring 36, thereby pulling feed roller 21 downward out of feeding engagement with fixed upper feed roller 22. In addition, this rotation of the lever moves the stop extension 31, which projects from the central portion of the yoke 29, through aperture 38 in print platen 23 and into the path of the material to be moved through the printing area of the apparatus. Thus, a locating stop member is moved into the path of the print material while the feeding mechanism comprised of rollers 21 and 22 is disabled during the period the inside of the cabinet is exposed to light. Although a specific embodiment of the lever has been described, it should be understood that numerous configurations of such a device can be readily designed Within the scope of the present invention.

After the leading edge of the material has been selectively located against the end portion of the stop exten-' sion 31 by threading the material between rollers 21 and 22, outer closure member 15 is moved over opening 12 to again make the cabinet light-proof. The closure member contacts arm 30 and thereby forces the lever to eccentrically rotate around the respective pivot points of shafts 35 and 34 against the bias of spring 36. This movement returns feed roller 21 into frictional contact with roller 22, and at the same time removes the stop extension of the lever from the path of the material 14.

It can be appreciated that the disclosed locating device represents a valuable contribution having numerous advantages not provided by the prior art. For example,

with this device a positive locating stop member is provided which is inoperative and out of the material path except when the closure member 15 is moved from the access opening 12 and the stop is needed. By positioning the leading edge of a new supply of material against the stop, movement into a position where an excessive portion can be fogged by exposure to outside light is prevented although a correct length of the print material is made available for the proper operation of the apparatus. In addition, the inadvertent feeding of the material before the closure member is moved into lightproof position is prevented by the separation of feed rollers 20 and 21 while the material is being positioned.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

Having now patentably distinguished our invention, what we desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States and what we claim is: I

1. A device for locating the leading edge of a supply of material in apparatus having an access opening for installing said supply of material in said apparatus, a closure member for said opening, and a means for feeding material from said supply along a given path, the device comprising:

(a) stop means movable into said path for engaging the leading edge of the material;

(b) second means operatively associated with said stop means for moving the stop means into said path in response to the movement of said closure member away from said opening and for removing said stop means from said path in response to the movement of the closure member into said opening.

2..A device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising means associated with said stop means for disabling said feeding means when said stop means is moved into said path.

3. A device for locating the leading edge of a supply of material in apparatus having an access opening for installing said supply of material in said apparatus, a closure member for said opening, and first and second feed rollers between which said material is frictionally driven along a given path, the device comprising:

(a) stop means movable into said path for engaging the leading edge of the material;

(b) second means operatively associated with said stop means for moving the stop means into said path in response to the opening of said closure member and for removing said stop means from said path in response to the closing of the closure member; and

(0) means associated with said stop means for moving said first and second rollers apart when said stop means is moved into said path.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said second means comprises a pivotally mounted lever on which said first roller is rotatably mounted.

5. A material locating device for positively positioning one edge of a supply of material in apparatus having an access opening for installing said supply in the apparatus, a closure member for said opening, and a feed mechanism having first and second feed rollers between which said material is moved along a given path, said device comprising:

(a) a pivotally mounted stop lever for engagement with the material;

(b) a support for the material which has passed be-. tween said rollers, said support being disposed along.

((1) said first feed roller being rotatably mounted on said lever such that said first roller is moved out of peripheral contact with said second roller when said lever is rotated through said aperture.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein: said stop lever comprises an eccentrically mounted yoke having an extension carried thereon for engagement with said one edge of said material, and an arm carried on the yoke for engagement with said closure member; and said rotating means comprises a means for resiliently biasing said arm through said access opening.

7. In an apparatus having an access opening through which a supply of material can be installed in the apparatus, a closure member selectively movable relative to said opening to close and unclose said opening, and means for feeding material from the installed supply thereof along a given path, a material locating and feeding device comprising:

(a) stop means selectively movable into said path for engaging the leading edge of said material in said path; and

(b) second means operatively associated with said closure member for rendering effective said material feeding means when the closure member closes said opening and for disabling said material feeding means when the opening is unclosed by the closure member;

(0) whereby the located material in said path can be fed along said path by said material feeding means only when said opening is closed by said closure member.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said feeding means comprises first and second rollers between which said material is frictionally driven, and wherein said second means comprises a pivotally mounted lever on which said first roller is rotatably mounted, whereby said first roller is moved away from driving engagement with said second roller upon movement of said closure member away from said opening.

9. A device according to claim 7 wherein said second means is further provided for moving said stop means into and out of said path respectively as said feeding means is disabled and rendered effective.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,148,963 8/1915 Gammeter 27l53 2,693,357 11/1954 Davidson 27l53 2,856,188 10/1958 Crittenden 27l53 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

W. F. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR LOCATING THE LEADING EDGE OF A SUPPLY OF MATERIAL IN APPARATUS HAVING AN ACCESS OPENING FOR INSTALLING SAID SUPPLY OF MATERIAL IN SAID APPARATUS, A CLOSURE MEMBER FOR SAID OPENING, AND A MEANS FOR FEEDING MATERIAL FROM SAID SUPPLY ALONG A GIVEN PATH, THE DEVICE COMPRISING; (A) STOP MEANS MOVABLE INTO SAID PATH FOR ENGAGING THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MATERIAL; (B) SECOND MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID STOP MEANS FOR MOVING THE STOP MEANS INTO SAID PATH IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE MEMBER AWAY FROM SAID OPENING AND FOR REMOVING SAID TOP MEANS FROM SAID PATH IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE CLOSURE MEMBER INTO SAID OPENING. 